JP3701328B2 - Packaging ribbon tray - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to a thermal transfer ribbon for a thermal transfer printer. More specifically, the present invention relates to a packaging ribbon tray for storing a thermal transfer ribbon supply bobbin and a bobbin for winding a transferred ribbon, which are configured to be supplied to the printer. About.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventional thermal transfer ribbons supplied to thermal transfer printers contain a supply bobbin that feeds the thermal transfer ribbon into a cassette case with high dimensional accuracy designed exclusively for the printer and a bobbin that lifts it up to facilitate loading. Was configured.
Such a thermal transfer ribbon cassette case is a plastic film bag that combines aluminum foil with excellent light shielding and moisture resistance to protect the thermal transfer ribbon during storage after production, shipment from the factory, and distribution. They were individually sealed, further packed in a decorative box, packed in cardboard, and used for logistics.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Conventional cassette cases containing thermal transfer ribbons are discarded without being reused after the ribbon is used, and cassette cases that require quality accuracy are priced including molds. There was a problem that it was a high molded article. And since this cassette case is larger than the volume occupied by the thermal transfer ribbon, when packing in the pillow type form shown in FIG. 2, the amount of composite packaging material used is large, and the packaged one is bulky. The size of the cardboard, the cardboard, etc. were required to be large.
[0004]
The present invention eliminates the need to store the thermal transfer ribbon in an expensive cassette case and supply it to the printer, and allows the supplied ribbon to be directly loaded into the printer, so that it is easy to package and excellent in storage and logistics. An object is to provide a tray for a thermal transfer ribbon.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the packaging ribbon tray of the present invention incorporates a bobbin for supplying a thermal transfer ribbon and a bobbin for lifting a transferred ribbon so that a cassette attached to the printer is directly attached to the printer. In a plastic packaging ribbon tray having a size for storing a thermal transfer ribbon configured to be loaded through the ribbon tray, the ribbon tray is formed by processing a plastic sheet having a thickness of 0.4 to 1.2 mm by compressed air or vacuum forming In addition, the ribbon tray has bearing parts for both the supply bobbin and the lifting bobbin, and a stopper corresponding to the anti-spinning part formed on the ribbon bobbin is provided on the tray body and / or the lid. It is, and is uneven shape spatial rotation prevention portion, the stopper forms an irregular shape corresponding to the unevenness, and the tray body and / or The bottom surface of the body, characterized in that the slip mechanism has been applied. And the slipping prevention uneven part which is one form of the slip prevention part formed in the bobbin is a continuous shape.
[0006]
[Action]
The packaging ribbon tray of the present invention has a size that can accommodate a thermal transfer ribbon constructed by incorporating a bobbin for supplying a thermal transfer ribbon and a bobbin for raising a transferred ribbon, and the ribbon tray has a thickness. A plastic sheet of 0.4 to 1.2 mm processed by compressed air or vacuum forming, and the ribbon tray is formed with both bearing portions of a supply bobbin and a lifting bobbin, and a ribbon supply bobbin of a thermal transfer ribbon In addition, a stopper is provided in a shape corresponding to the uneven slip prevention portion provided on the lifting bobbin, and a non- slip mechanism is provided on the bottom surface of the tray body and / or the lid . The thermal transfer ribbon stored in the ribbon tray and packed in the inner bag is free from loosening due to the bobbin spinning idle, and does not include a large-volume cassette case. It works to reduce logistics costs and waste.
[0007]
【Example】
As a preferred example of the packaging ribbon tray 1 of the present invention, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 1, an uneven stopper 27 corresponding to the uneven sprocket 26 provided on the bobbin of the thermal transfer ribbon 2 is formed. The tray body 1 and the lid body 3 are configured and can be processed by conventionally known plastic pressure or vacuum forming. And a plug assist can also be used in order to shape | mold the uneven | corrugated | grooved part provided in a tray correctly.
[0008]
Plastic sheets used for forming the tray body 1 are polystyrene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, ABS resin, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyester, ethylene / acrylic acid copolymer, ethylene / acrylic acid ester copolymer, ionomer, etc. Or a composite thereof, preferably a polystyrene sheet. These molding materials are filled with inorganic substances such as calcium carbonate, talc, clay, etc., so that the amount of heat at the time of incineration is reduced, or by adding edible substances such as starch, it is made disintegratable by microorganisms. You can also. The thickness of the sheet is determined by the inherent strength of the sheet, the size and weight of the thermal transfer ribbon , and is 0.4 to 1.2 mm.
[0009]
The tray is formed into the shape shown in FIG. 1 and has a size that allows a thermal transfer ribbon to be accommodated therein.
On the side wall in the longitudinal direction of the bobbin, a bearing portion 13 corresponding to the roundness of the bobbin with the thermal transfer ribbon is formed in an arc shape. A horizontal portion 11 and a folded portion 12 are provided continuously around the upper portion of the tray body 1. The molded product is punched at the tip of the folded portion. Although not shown in the drawing, the horizontal portion 11 can be provided with a protrusion or a recess on any side so that it can be fitted and fixed to the lid.
Further, a stopper 27 is provided at the bottom of the tray so as to be engaged with the concave portions of the uneven sprocket 26 provided on the supply bobbin U and the lifting bobbin R of the thermal transfer ribbon 2 to prevent idling.
[0010]
The uneven sprocket 26 serving as a mechanism for preventing the loosening and slackening may be any place other than the sliding portion of the portion to be inserted into the printer, and does not ask where. In addition, the concave-convex shape that serves as a mechanism for preventing loosening is not limited to a sprocket shape, but may be any as long as it can be fitted to the concave-convex shape provided on the tray to prevent idling. For example, a star shape or a cross shape may be used.
[0011]
The interval A where the two bobbins provided on the tray are positioned is desirably matched with the interval between the portions mounted on the ribbon cassette of the printer when the thermal transfer ribbon of the present invention is mounted on the printer. The thermal transfer ribbon set in such a manner is taken out from the sealed and packaged inner bag 21 shown in FIG. 2 and the lid 3 is removed, and the printer or the printer attached to the printer shown in FIG. It can be mounted on the ribbon cassette 50. In this case, since the bobbin spacing is not changed, the thermal transfer ribbon formed of a thin film of 3 to 10 μm can be easily mounted without wrinkles.
Then, the color material is transferred from an opening 57 provided in the lid body 56 of the cassette.
[0012]
However, the distance between the two bobbins A does not necessarily have to be the one when the cassette is mounted on the printer cassette. If it can be extended to the interval A required by the printer and can be mounted on the printer without wrinkling of the film, the bobbin interval can be made as close to zero as possible. Increasing the bobbin spacing means that the size of the tray can be reduced to the width required for the bobbin diameter. For example, the tray main body and the lid body are formed of two parts that can be moved in parallel, and the ribbon is accommodated with a narrow bobbin interval. Then, by moving the tray main body and the lid in parallel, the tray body and the lid can be extended to the interval between the portions where the thermal transfer ribbon is mounted and used for the printer. Therefore, by reducing the molding sheet, the inner bag, the decorative box, and the cardboard box, it is possible to greatly contribute to the reduction of the total logistics cost including the packing cost, the warehouse cost and the transportation cost. As shown in FIG. 4 , the winding bobbin and the supply bobbin stored in the ribbon tray are preferably fixed by a fixing member 60 for fixing these bobbins in accordance with the storage interval in the ribbon tray. The fixing member 60 not only functions to prevent winding looseness by fixing the distance between both bobbins, but also functions to simplify carrying when the ribbon is mounted from the ribbon tray to the printer or cassette.
The fixing member 60 also functions as a ROM discrimination mechanism of the printer by changing its shape or adding an arbitrary mark. For example, as shown in FIG. 4 , the type of ribbon is discriminated based on the shape, size, position, etc. of the protrusion 61 provided in the central portion of the fixing member 60 (the standard ribbon and the OHP ribbon are identified), thereby Thus, it is possible to adjust the printing conditions of the printer, the type of transfer sheet to be used, and the like.
[0013]
The lid 3 is formed into the shape shown in FIG. 1 by vacuum forming or pressure forming using the same material as that of the tray body, and the periphery of the lid 3 is fitted to the outer dimension of the periphery 12 of the tray body. You can mold it. And the center part is shape | molded by the uneven | corrugated shape 33 corresponding to the roundness of the bobbin currently used for the thermal transfer ribbon accommodated. And the folding | returning part 32 is formed in the outer side continuously to the horizontal part 31 of the periphery of a cover body, and the front-end | tip of this folding | turning part is stamped after shaping | molding. Although not particularly shown in the drawing, a portion corresponding to the fitting fixing protrusion or recess provided in the horizontal portion 11 of the tray body can be formed in the horizontal portion 31 around the lid. In addition, it is preferable that a lid corresponding to a stopper for preventing idling is provided on the lid body by fitting with the concave portions of the uneven sprocket 26 provided on the supply bobbin U and the lifting bobbin R of the thermal transfer ribbon 2.
[0014]
The lid 3 is provided in a case where the bag is not packed, when the circumference of the thermal transfer ribbon protrudes from the upper part of the tray, or in a variety of products that are frequently attached and detached with a printer. Is not always necessary. In such a case, the thermal transfer ribbon stored in the ribbon tray body 1 can be directly sealed with an interior film and then packaged in a decorative box. An anti-slip mechanism 4 is provided on the bottom surface of the lid and / or ribbon tray body. The anti-slip mechanism 4 prevents vibration such as side slip of the ribbon tray itself, which is one of the causes of ribbon winding looseness. The anti-slip mechanism 4 is formed by coating a resin layer containing a filler at the time of tray molding, or by applying surface treatment such as surface unevenness treatment to the bottom surface of the ribbon tray body and / or the lid surface as shown in FIG. Composed.
[0015]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the thermal transfer ribbon of the present invention is housed and packaged in a ribbon tray in a state of being loaded in a printer, and there is no problem in storage such as wrinkle loosening even after passing through the storage and distribution process. It can be loaded into a printer or cassette attached to the printer. Unlike conventional thermal transfer ribbons stored and supplied in cassettes, expensive cassettes are not discarded after use, which greatly contributes to resource saving and reduction in logistics costs. Furthermore, since the anti-slip mechanism is provided on the bottom surface of the lid and / or the ribbon tray main body, vibration such as side slip of the ribbon tray itself, which is one of the causes of ribbon winding looseness, can be prevented.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a thermal transfer ribbon and a ribbon tray according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram in which a thermal transfer ribbon is housed in a tray and sealed with an inner bag.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a state in which a thermal transfer ribbon is loaded in a cassette attached to a printer.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a thermal transfer ribbon and a fixing member according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ribbon tray main body 2 Thermal transfer ribbon 3 Lid 4 Non-slip mechanism 11 Horizontal part 12 of tray main body 12 Folded part continued from horizontal part of tray main body 13 Bearing part 21 of bobbin 26 Inner bag 26 of thermal transfer ribbon Irregular sprocket 27 Stopper 31 Horizontal portion 32 of the tray lid Folded portion 33 continuous from the horizontal portion of the tray lid body Bobbin bearing portion 50 of the lid body Cassette body 56 attached to the printer Cassette lid body 57 attached to the printer The opening 60 provided in the lid of the cassette to be fixed. The fixing member 61. The protrusion A of the fixing member. The distance between the bobbins U when stored in the ribbon tray or loaded into the printer.

Claims (1)

Incorporates a bobbin for supplying a thermal transfer ribbon and a bobbin for raising a transferred ribbon, and has a size for storing a thermal transfer ribbon configured to be loaded directly into the printer or through a cassette attached to the printer. In a plastic packaging ribbon tray, the ribbon tray is obtained by processing a plastic sheet having a thickness of 0.4 to 1.2 mm by compressed air or vacuum forming, and the ribbon tray includes a supply bobbin and a lifting bobbin. Both bearing parts are formed, a stopper corresponding to the anti-spinning part formed on the bobbin of the ribbon is provided on the tray body and / or the lid, and the anti-spinning part has an uneven shape, and the stopper is on the uneven part. on the bottom of the corresponding concave-convex shape is formed, and the tray body and / or lid, Ki wound, characterized in that the slip mechanism is applied Packaging ribbon tray with only prevention mechanism.

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